Colombia Declares Three-Day Mourning After Deadliest Civilian Attack in Decades Leaves 20 Dead

Colombia has declared three days of national mourning after a bombing attack on a major highway in the southwestern Cauca department killed at least 20 people on April 25, marking one of the deadliest single attacks on civilians in decades. The explosion, attributed to dissident factions of the former FARC guerrilla group, targeted vehicles traveling along the Pan-American Highway near the town of Cajibío, authorities confirmed.

The blast, which occurred around midday, struck a public bus and several private vehicles, leaving at least 48 others injured. Among the dead were two environmental officials from the Cauca Regional Autonomous Corporation (CRC), a government agency responsible for environmental protection in the region. Patricia Mosquera, a territorial director for the CRC and leader of the Afro-Patian Women’s Social Movement, was traveling with family members when the attack occurred. Her cousins, Nidia and Nereida Mosquera, were also killed. The second CRC employee, Jarol Jair Bojorge, worked in the agency’s internal control division.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack as “a brutal act of terrorism” in a statement released Sunday, vowing to bring those responsible to justice. “This violence against civilians, against public servants and against the institutions of our democracy will not go unpunished,” Petro said. Venezuela’s government also issued a statement denouncing the attack, calling it “an atrocious act that violates the most basic principles of humanity.”

The bombing has reignited concerns about escalating violence in Colombia’s rural areas, where armed groups continue to vie for control despite the 2016 peace accord that officially disbanded the FARC. According to the Association of Regional Autonomous Corporations (Asocars), the attack is part of a broader surge in violence, with 26 coordinated bombings and armed actions reported across Cauca and neighboring Valle del Cauca departments in just the past 48 hours. Asocars director Ramón Leal described the situation as evidence that “You’ll see no safe conditions for civilians or state institutions in these regions.”

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez, who traveled to Cauca to assess the aftermath, announced plans to deploy additional military units to the area. “We currently have 13 armored units and 12 infantry platoons operating along the Pan-American Highway,” Sánchez said during a press briefing in Popayán, the capital of Cauca. “Two more armored units will arrive in the coming days to reinforce security.” The minister also revealed that the government is fast-tracking a $200 million anti-drone defense program, dubbed the “National Shield,” to counter emerging threats from armed groups.

The Pan-American Highway, a critical artery connecting southwestern Colombia to major cities like Cali and Bogotá, was temporarily closed following the attack but reopened on Sunday after authorities cleared debris and secured the area. The closure disrupted transportation and commerce in a region already grappling with economic instability.

“We reject this attack and the terrorist escalation that our country is suffering, particularly in Cauca and Valle del Cauca,” said Asocars in a statement. “These regions have been the target of cruel attacks that affect both the population and the institutions meant to serve them.”

Cauca Governor Octavio Guzmán, who joined Sánchez for an emergency security council meeting, expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and pledged full institutional support. “From the departmental government, we have mobilized all available resources to contain this crisis,” Guzmán said. Health officials reported that five of the injured were minors, with 13 victims requiring emergency medical evacuation to hospitals in nearby cities due to the severity of their wounds.

The attack comes amid growing international scrutiny of Colombia’s fragile security situation, particularly in rural areas where armed groups continue to exploit power vacuums left by the FARC’s demobilization. The United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, which monitors compliance with the 2016 peace agreement, has repeatedly warned of rising violence in regions like Cauca, where dissident factions and other illegal armed groups have expanded their influence.

The Colombian Attorney General’s Office has launched a formal investigation into the bombing, as well as the broader wave of attacks in Cauca and Valle del Cauca. Prosecutors said they are pursuing leads to identify those responsible, though no arrests have been announced as of Monday.

For many Colombians, the attack has evoked painful memories of the country’s decades-long internal conflict, which claimed over 220,000 lives and displaced millions. While the 2016 peace deal was hailed as a historic step toward stability, the resurgence of violence in regions like Cauca underscores the challenges of consolidating peace in areas where armed groups continue to operate with impunity.

The three days of national mourning, declared by President Petro on Sunday, will see flags flown at half-staff across the country as Colombians grapple with the latest tragedy. Funeral services for the victims are expected to take place in the coming days, with many families still awaiting the return of their loved ones’ remains.